Alice & What Came After: Thousand Shards of Glass
by BregoBeauty
Summary: Sequel to "Between the Glass"  - Alice and Hatter's son goes off on his own to chase prehistoric creatures with an agency known as the ARC. Along the way he meets the girl of his dreams and is accused of murder.
1. Prologue: Notso Ordinary Day

**Alice and What Came After: A Thousand Shards of Glass**

**Disclaimer:** Alice, the Hatter, and Wonderland are original creations of Lewis Carroll. Everyone/everything depicted from Wonderland is based on his works and Nick Willing's version of _Alice_ for the SyFy channel. Various creatures and anomalies belong to ITV/Impossible pictures. Sarah and Connor Hatter are my original creations.

**Summary:** (Sequel to _Between the Glass_) Connor Hatter's gone his separate way from his older twin sister. He's moved around the world chasing after rips in time and prehistoric creatures. Then he meets the girl of his dreams and things go horribly wrong.

**Prologue: Not-so Ordinary Day**

It all started like any other ordinary weekday.

Connor Hatter woke up alone with his hair sticking out at odd angles. He stretched in the king-sized bed, his hands brushing against the cooling sheets. That wasn't too unusual. His live-in girlfriend went running most morning before he even opened his eyes.

He stumbled into the kitchen to put on the kettle. When he first met Elizabeth, she had turned her nose up in disgust at the mere idea of tea. After trying out a few special blends, she came around to his view on the wondrous drink. They shared a cup in the morning before heading off to work.

He yawned, settling down into a chair at the table.

_Morning, brother dear…_ a voice said in his head.

_Go away, Sarah… _

_Grumpy much? Did you just wake up?_

_ It's only seven, you sadist._

_ Not here! That was oh… six hours ago._

He rolled his brown eyes. He loved his sister dearly, but she had a habit of picking the worst times for a conversation.

_You're sick,_ he said.

_Meh. Where's the girlfriend?_

_ Running. Don't you have a boyfriend or fiancé to bug?_

_ Oh, Chase is in a meeting. Some crisis or another._

The kettle whistled, jolting him out of his head. _Later, gator…_

Connor poured the hot water over his mug of tea and then hers. Both blends were specially made by his father, a long-time tea lover, who ran a popular tea shop in New York with his mother. His father would ship him a supply of tea every few weeks or he would just drop in using a network of portals. The Looking Glass network had been modified three years before by an alternate version of Connor.

He barely got two sips of his tea when the door to his flat broke down and cops entered, guns out and aimed at his head.

"Get down on the ground! Hands in the air!" one of them called.

"Oi! What's goin' on?" he demanded, his accent thick as he knelt down on the kitchen floor.

"Connor Hatter, you're under arrest for murder."

"What? Who?"

"The murder of Elizabeth West."

His heart dropped in his stomach. "What? That's—that's not possible!"

She'd just gone out for a run. She couldn't be dead.

Could she?

**Author's Notes:**

Uh oh, our little Connor's in hot water! Don't worry, first we're gonna backtrack and get caught up his life before we get into the murder mystery and his arrest. Thanks for reading and please review!


	2. Chapter One: Training

**Alice and What Came After: A Thousand Shards of Glass**

**Disclaimer:** Wonderland-related stuff belongs to Lewis Carroll, Nick Willing and those fine folks over at SyFy. The ARC, its workers and creatures, all belong to ITV/Impossible Pictures.

**Chapter One: Training**

Two weeks after calling Lester, Connor Hatter found himself in England, training with ex-military Captain Becker. The older man didn't hesitate to push Connor past his limits. After a day full of physical training, it was all Connor could do to crawl up the stairs to his flat and a waiting tub.

His twin sister teased him relentlessly through their special bond. Sarah had a knack for picking bad moments to want a conversation.

Like today. Becker had finally decided to teach him how to operate a handgun—actually it was a tranquilizer gun—but all the same, Connor wanted to learn. He wanted to be trusted in the field like his father had been. Not to mention his double.

_Whatcha doin'?_

_Sarah, go away!_

_Aww, did wittle Connor wake up on the wrong side of the bed?_

_I'm busy!_

_Doing what? Hunting dinos?_

_Training! Go away!_

_Oooh. You're soo grouchy today…_

_Sarah, I mean it—_

"Connor!" Becker shouted, breaking through the bond. "What the hell are you doing?"

He looked over at his instructor and saw a dart sticking out of his arm.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't—"

The glare he received shut him up. _You're sooo lucky you're in Wonderland right now… otherwise…_

_Or what? You're a chicken, Conn. You can't even come up with a real threat…_ Sarah mocked.

_Would you stop? I'm trying to work here!_

_When did you get so boring? _

_Go bother Chase or someone. Leave me alone!_

Connor pulled free of the bond, pushing his sister out of his head. It wasn't easy, but then again, not much involving Sarah ever was. By that point, Becker was lying in a heap on the floor, unconscious from the tranquilizer dart.

"He's gonna kill me when he wakes up…"

* * *

Luckily for Connor, Becker was too drowsy to do more than yell at him when he woke up. He did, however, snatch the gun away from him and insist on going back to the basics. He also sent a memo around the ARC that banned Connor from having any contact with weapons.

Not that he begrudged Becker for his decision. After all, he did shoot him.

When Connor trudged back to his lab, it wasn't long before James Lester, the man in charge of the ARC, appeared at the door dressed in his customary suit.

"Hatter, how many times do we have to go over the rules? You don't aim any of the guns or any weapon at any creature or person you don't mean to shoot. Got it?"

"I'm sorry. It was an accident. It won't happen again."

"You're damn right it won't. You are restricted to the lab until further notice. And don't even think about messing around with the detector. Last time, it took three days to fix."

Connor hung his head, "I'm really sorry, Lester. I didn't mean to—"

"Just stay in here with your toys and try not to blow anything up or shoot anyone else."

He nodded, sitting down at his worktable filled with bits of wire and microchips. A half-finished anomaly opening device lay within easy reach. Only himself and Connor Temple, the other resident computer expert on the premises, knew how to construct the devices.

They also knew how to operate them. Connor had been experimenting with one since he returned home. He'd gutted a GPS device and tried to fit the two together. So far, he couldn't get them to work together. He was also still using his sister's iPod connector to sync the device with the program on his laptop.

There was plenty of room for improvement still.

And since he wasn't cleared for active duty or field work yet, Connor had plenty of time to play with the device when Becker wasn't pounding on him under the guise of training.

He just hoped that one day he would get a chance to explore the anomalies like his father had. He wanted to step into the past and encounter the very creatures he'd spent years dreaming about and studying. He wanted to find another Rex for his new flat.

Until then, he was a glorified lab rat.

* * *

Three months after moving to London, Connor passed his field examination under Becker's watchful eyes.

He'd put on several pounds of lean muscle over the course of his training and spent a few hours a day in the ARC's gym working out. Before he joined the ARC, most of the employees had no training except for the military escorts hired to protect the core staff.

When a series of deaths and disappearances rocked the team, Lester implemented mandatory training for everyone going in the field. The anomaly staff didn't need to be Rambo—they just needed to know the basics and be strong enough or quick enough to avoid most dangers.

Connor didn't mind. He couldn't wait to see his sister again and flip her onto her back when she annoyed him. Sarah would never expect it from him.

He settled into his lab, toying with the device, when the A.D.D went off in the main room.

He leapt into action, snagging a more compact detector—a special joint project between himself and Temple—and his rucksack. The regular locking device would already be loaded on the truck ready to go.

Danny Quinn stood by the trucks, splitting up the team. A young female marine biologist was told to stay behind—the A.D.D wasn't signaling anything near the water—as was a few other newer recruits. Quinn shouted at him to climb into the lead truck and not to touch anything.

He hopped into the passenger seat and crossed his arms. _Wreck one truck and it haunts you forever…_

* * *

Connor almost slipped off a rocky ledge as he approached the pulsing ball of light. He managed to hit the ground before going over. He breathed hard, his heart beating fast.

It seemed like he was the lucky one. He could see another figure further down, clinging to a branch.

"Oi! You okay down there?" he called.

"Just barely…" a female voice called. "I wasn't expecting to go rock-climbing today!"

Despite the situation, he smiled. Her accent was clear and American.

Connor walked along the ledge until he could see her directly below him, her red-blonde hair catching the sunlight and the reflection from the anomaly.

"Are you hurt?"

"I think my ankle's broken."

"Okay. Hang on."

He reached into his rucksack and pulled out a sturdy rope and an anchor. He attached the line to the anchor and tossed one end down to her.

"Here, I'll pull you up," he said, planting his feet in the dirt, the rope wrapped around his hands.

She reached for the rope, clinging to it with both hands. One of her legs wrapped around the rope, the other one dangling uselessly.

"Hold on," he said, gritting his teeth as he started to pull. She pushed off the rocks, helping him get her up the fifteen feet to the top.

He reached out and took her hand, lifting her over the ledge. Together they backpedaled from the edge, both panting loudly.

"Thanks," she said, smiling at him.

"Any time," he said, smiling back.

And that was right before a creature burst out of the anomaly.

**Author's Notes:**

Now we get to see Connor get his start with the ARC. I couldn't resist having Sarah annoy him and make him shoot Becker. And it was Connor to the rescue. I know, where's the rest of the team? They're getting the gear. Connor ran ahead while Danny's organizing the team.

Thanks so much for the reviews! Enjoy!


	3. Chapter Two: A Gorgowhat?

**Alice and What Came After: A Thousand Shards of Glass**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything except for my original characters.

**Chapter Two: A Gorgo-what? **

Connor threw the girl down, covering her body with his own as the extinct creature stepped out of the anomaly. Out of the corner of his eye, he recognized the mammal. It wasn't exactly in the same class as a T-Rex or a G-rex, but a Gorgonopsid was just as dangerous.

The ARC team dealt with Gorgonopsids before. Temple told him about his first encounter with one—and how it went after a kid and Abby. He even said that one chased an old colleague, Stephen Hart, through a school.

"Stay low," he urged the American girl, his voice soft.

Connor knew they needed help. They both had minor scratches from their little climbing expedition. Gorgonopsids were like sharks when it came to blood and food.

"What is that… thing?"

"Umm, I'll tell ya later…"

He helped her up from the ground. She held onto his arm, still unbalanced on her broken ankle. "I can't run…"

"I know. I'm going to be the bait. Let's get you up on higher ground, okay?"

"Okay…"

There were a few trees nearby. The Gorgonopsid was momentarily distracted by all the new sights and smells of England. Connor used it to his advantage.

"Here… I need you to climb this tree…"

"What? Again?"

"Sorry. I'll give ya a boost up. Just try and stay toward the center of the tree. I'm going to get help," Connor said.

She nodded, muffling a cry of pain as he lifted her into a low branch of the tree. She scrambled up a few more branches, using her arms more than her legs. Once she seemed settled in, Connor motioned for her to stay quiet.

He sprinted off, heading back for the truck. "Oi! Over here! Tasty meat over here!"

Connor waved his arms as he ran, catching the attention of the out of place creature. The creature began to stalk after him, catching a whiff of blood on his skin and clothes.

"Becker! Gun! GUN!" he shouted as he neared the trucks.

He took a running leap and hopped in the bed of one of the trucks. Becker dropped his gear in favor of his rifle. The ex-military man leveled his gun at the incoming creature. Without the slightest bit of hesitation, Becker fired at the Gorgonopsid, slowing the mammal.

Other team members joined in, firing at the soft underbelly of the creature.

Connor stayed low in the truck, waiting for the all-clear signal.

"Hatter, what did you do now?" Becker asked, frowning at the technical wizard hiding in the truck bed.

"Umm, let's see. The anomaly's just over there, and it's to the late Permian era. Plus there's a girl, she's hurt. I got her into a tree…"

Becker sighed. "Bring the locking device. Hatter, stay with me, and will someone please grab the med kit?"

* * *

"How did you get help so fast?" she asked, after Connor helped her out of the tree.

"My friends were just over the hill at their vehicles. One of them had a medical kit. Ya know… just in case someone felt like climbing…"

The girl swatted at him, pretending to be upset by his joking attitude. "Are you going to tell me what that thing was?"

"Ehh, maybe… maybe not…"

"Okay, what about your name?"

"I'm Connor… Connor Hatter. Who are you?"

"Lizzie West, and I'm from America, as you guessed."

"Me too. I was raised in New York."

Connor rolled up her jean leg and examined the broken ankle. One of the military men had dropped off the med kit on his way to help set up the locking device. Another team member would lock the anomaly for him.

"Really? You don't sound American."

"Well, my dad's from here. Mum's American. We traveled a lot when I was younger. If you think my accent's bad, you should hear my sister talk. You'd think she spent her entire life over here."

Lizzie smiled then winced as he straightened her ankle out.

"Sorry about that…"

"It's okay," she said as he wound an ACE bandage around the ankle to stabilize it.

"You sure? I didn't mean to hurt you…"

"Really, it's fine."

* * *

Since Jenny Lewis no longer worked at the ARC, Lester insisted that Lizzie be brought to his office for a debriefing about the incident. The Home Office official almost seemed disappointed that she hadn't been killed by a creature.

Connor went in first, leaving her in the care of Becker.

"Sir, I think she could be an asset to the team. She didn't seem scared at all. Plus, you were talking about adding extra locations…"

"Does she have any qualifications or do you just want to get a date with her?" Lester asked, seated behind his desk.

He turned bright red.

"Well, she's rather bright, and American…"

"Those are not qualifications."

"Umm," he mumbled, glancing around the office for inspiration. Lester steepled his fingers, eying the tech geek over them.

"I'm not getting any younger, Hatter…"

"She's doing something with animals. It might be zoology…" he lied. Lizzie seemed like the animal-loving type.

"I'll consider it. Now get out before you break something."

* * *

Lizzie entered the imposing office on crutches. She took a seat in an overstuffed leather chair and cleared her throat.

"Miss West, my name is James Lester. I have a few questions for you."

"Is this about that thing that chased us? Because I have no idea what the hell that was."

"Actually, I was wondering what you were doing in that particular location. Sight-seeing?"

"Not really," she admitted. "I was chasing after a lizard. I got a bit turned around. I didn't mean to trespass or anything…"

"You weren't trespassing, Miss West. We won't be pressing any charges against you."

She took a deep breath, looking relived. "So, what else do you want to know?"

* * *

The next morning, Connor skidded into work, his hat askew and his clothes wrinkled. He'd overslept, broken his alarm clock with his fist went he meant to hit the snooze button, and hadn't gotten around to putting his clean laundry away yet.

He slipped into the main room of the ARC, wincing as the nearest chair squeaked. Lester was in the middle of some sort of meeting. He couldn't quite figure out what the man was talking about. Part of him didn't really care anyways.

"It is my pleasure to introduce our newest team member. She will be helping with reptilian creatures and lizards. And also, so I'm told, snakes," Lester announced.

Connor perked up. There were only a few females in the ARC. Most of them were rather unfriendly workaholics.

"Welcome to the ARC, Miss West."

With a crash, Connor fell out of his chair as she limped out from some corner of the room. His legs tangled with the chair, forcing his colleagues to stare at him. He grinned sheepishly, trying to quietly extract himself from the chair. It was feat easier said than done.

"Connor! Hi!" Lizzie called, waving at him across the room.

_Please, please, just let me disappear… Let an anomaly swallow me whole…_

**Author's Notes:**

Now we know a bit more about Lizzie. There's still more to come. Thanks for reviewing!


	4. Chapter Three: Avoidiance

**Alice and What Came After: A Thousand Shards of Glass**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything related to _Primeval_ or SyFy's production of _Alice_.

**Chapter Three: Avoidiance**

Connor smiled sheepishly and waved back. He could feel several dozen pairs of eyes fixated on him. It made his skin crawl.

"Well, that's all for today," Lester called, walking off to the ramp leading up to his office.

Most of the other employees went in their separate directions. However, the core team remained behind, staring at the pair. Connor shifted his weight from one foot to the other as she limped toward him on crutches.

"Hey, I was beginning to wonder if you were avoiding me," the friendly American said, stopping a foot or so away from him.

"No, no, I just got… I overslept… and you don't really care," he said with a forced laugh. "Sorry, I'm still not very awake…"

"It's okay. I'm still adjusting to the time difference myself. We're about six hours ahead of my usual time. It's a bit disconcerting."

"You get used to it soon enough," Connor Hatter said. "I travel back to America to see my parents often."

"Really? Why don't they live over here?"

He shrugged. "Dad's family is mostly gone,'cept for Grandpa Charlie. He's a crazy old codger, but Dad puts up with him. Both of my mum's parents are still around and they live in New York. Mum's really close to Grandma Carol."

"Oh, well that's sweet of your dad to stay there with her."

He nodded. "Umm, so did you get a tour of the place yet?"

"Not really. Lester didn't exactly offer one."

Connor felt a smirk cross his lips. "Why am I not surprised? Well, would you allow me the honor?"

"Of course."

* * *

Instead of procuring a wheelchair for Lizzie, Connor Hatter stole a desk chair. Lizzie giggled as he pushed her through the ARC, pointing out various offices, work stations, and rooms. He also introduced her to several other members, including his own double, Connor Temple.

Of the two, Temple had more facial hair and several obvious scars from his time spent on the other side of an anomaly. From a glance, it was hard to tell them apart.

"Hey, little brother," Temple called, high-fiving the younger Connor. "So, you got us a new lizard girl?"

"Hi, I'm Lizzie… Gosh, you really do look alike… are you twins?"

The two Connors looked at each other, as if they'd just realized they were mirror images. They pantomimed shock before bursting out in laughter.

"No, not at all," Temple admitted. "I'm almost old enough to be his father."

"It's just an odd quirk," Connor reassured her. "But it doesn't keep him from treating me like a kid brother…"

Temple ruffled his hair. "That's because you are one! Did you tell 'er about Sarah?"

"No!"

"Who's Sarah?" Lizzie asked. "Is she your girlfriend?"

The two men exchanged a glance. Connor gave Temple a rather dirty look—one he'd learned from his sister—that clearly stated how much he wanted to kill the older man at that moment.

"Sarah's my sister. My older twin sister."

"You have a twin sister? What are you three… triplets?"

Temple laughed. "No, but sometimes it feels like it. Sarah and Connor here… they're related. I'm just another bloke who looks like 'em… and their dad."

"That sounds… interesting," she admitted, smiling at the younger Connor. "So what exactly is it you do here?"

"I'm the head geek," Temple offered. He paused, patting Connor on the shoulder. "This is my assistant and field operative. He just passed his qualifications the day he met you."

"Lucky me," Lizzie said. "What about the others?"

Connor pushed her toward the window of Temple's lab. "Some of us are just security and protection personal. Like a private police force of sorts. Others have specific jobs. You will be helping out in Abby's area. She's the lead zookeeper."

"Zookeeper?" Lizzie asked.

"Actually, she's a part-time specialist. She doesn't do field work anymore," Temple explained. "She designed our tranquilizer gun system. She usually handles lizards."

"Is she here today? I'd love to meet her."

* * *

While Lizzie and Abby chatted in the later's lab, the two Connors sat out in the hallway, catching up on life and their families. They discussed the Temple's young daughter, Sarah, named after his sister who saved both the little girl and Abby in a future timeline. Connor updated Temple on his parents, since Temple had once worked alongside David Hatter.

"Two lizard girls in the ARC… I never thought I'd see the day," Temple admitted, glancing in at his blonde wife and her new friend.

"Me neither. I can't believe there's an American Abby…"

The older man grinned, looking at his shadow. "I think she likes you."

"No, she doesn't."

"How do you know? Did you ask her?"

"No, of course not!" Connor's voice went up an octave.

The older version of himself folded his arms. "Ummhmph, just as I suspected. You like her… you're just afraid to talk to her."

"That's not—"

"It is. Don't deny it."

* * *

Connor did what he did best—he avoided Lizzie around the ARC whenever it was humanly possible. He wasn't trying to be rude or anti-social. He just wasn't comfortable around her.

He'd watched relationships fall apart before. His sister broke up and made up with her boyfriend, Chase, so many times he'd forgotten what stage they were in this week. Even his last girlfriend ran off, startled by Sarah's actions. Not that he could blame her.

But he wasn't one to usually push people away without a good reason. Even after all of his experiences in Wonderland, he still trusted people for the most part. Especially people who were kind to animals. Like Lizzie.

After a week of near silence, Lizzie cornered him near his lab.

"What's wrong, Connor? Did I do something to upset you?"

He froze like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming SUV. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're avoiding me. Did I insult you in some way?"

"No, it's nothing you did."

He moved to go around her, only for her to once again step in his path.

"Then what is it? What's wrong?"

"It's not you, Lizzie. It's me. I'm not very good with people."

"So?" she said with a shrug.

"It's complicated."

"Not really. Just tell me, Connor. Help me understand what's going on in your head. Maybe I can help you…" Lizzie offered.

He shook his dark mop of hair. "I like you, okay? I do. But I'm… I'm not relationship material. I'm… you deserve someone so much better than me."

"How could you say that? You're a good man, Connor Hatter. I knew it the moment I met you."

He swallowed hard, her hand on his arm. "But I'm not. I…I've done some things…"

"So what? Everyone's got stuff they're not too proud of in their background. But that doesn't matter. None of that matters. What happened in the past is in the past. What I'm concerned about is the future. _Our _future…"

"But—" he protested, only to be silenced by her lips on his.

Suddenly, protests didn't seem important. Suddenly, rationale lost its grip on Connor. He went with his heart instead of his head. And he didn't feel any hint of the Madness that lingered in his veins. All he could feel was passion and heat.

And he _liked_ it.

**Author's Notes:**

This was a difficult chapter. Hope it seemed pretty in character. Connor T is pretty much Connor H's big brother. I like that relationship between them.


	5. Chapter Four: Siblings

**Alice and What Came After: A Thousand Shards of Glass**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to the SyFy production of _Alice_ or the ITV/Impossible Pictures series _Primeval._

**Chapter Four: Siblings**

A few weeks passed before Connor and Lizzie took their relationship further than working together and eating out.

They went to his flat after work. Connor cooked dinner while she examined photos of his family and animals. She carried a framed photograph of him holding Rex into the kitchen. "Who's this lovely guy?"

"Him? Oh, that's Rex. He's a rare lizard. He was a gift from my dad. He's in New York."

"Can he fly?"

"'Course he can," Connor said. "He loves it."

She nodded, putting the picture down. "Why didn't you bring him over?"

He shrugged. "Didn't seem fair to him, draggin' him around the world when I wasn't sure where I was going to live or work. One day, I'll bring him home. And his buddies, Sid and Nancy."

"Sid and Nancy?"

"They're like ratty little beavers. Cute, but sooo much trouble," he explained. "They like to chew. And burrow. My mum hates 'em."

Lizzie came around the island. "I'd love to meet them… and your family."

"You would?"

He looked terrified at the idea.

"Why not? You've told me so much about them already. I feel like I know them."

He cleared his throat loudly, even as Lizzie put her arms around him, pulling him closer for either a hug or a kiss. He wasn't sure which one.

Not that it mattered when the flat's door opened. "Hello, hello!" a female called with a thick, British accent.

Connor jumped back, crashing into the kitchen counter.

A slim, dark-haired figure stepped into the kitchen. Her long hair was messy with a few stray strands sticking up. She wore a fedora cocked to one side. The rest of her outfit could only be described as eclectic.

Before he could speak, she kissed him.

Lizzie took a step back, her eyes wide. "Connor!"

He looked over at his girlfriend after pushing the other girl away. "Liz, it's not what you think. She's my sister."

"Your sister?"

The newcomer swept her hat off her head and bowed. "Sarah Hatter, at your service," she said.

Lizzie seemed to relax. "You're Connor's sister?"

"The one and only," Sarah said with a smile. With a flick of her wrist, the hat landed easily on her head. "You must be Lizzie, the lizard girl."

"How did you—?"

Connor cleared his throat. "Sarah, what the bloody 'ell are you doing here?"

"Since when is it a crime to visit my little brother?"

"You didn't tell me you were coming!" he argued.

Sarah shrugged. "So? What's wrong with a surprise?"

He rolled his brown eyes. "Can you just… can you come back later? We were about to have dinner—"

"Oooh, dinner? What'd ya cook?"

His twin popped down at the table. Only Sarah would even try to hijack a date, let alone succeed at it. Sometimes he wished his twin had died in Wonderland.

"Jabberwock… please…"

"Connor…" Sarah whined. "I don't have anywhere else to go…"

He sighed. _Give me a minute…_ he urged mentally.

_Hurry up,_ was his sister's impatient reply.

* * *

Connor and Lizzie went further into the flat, leaving Sarah with her feet propped up on the shinning wood top of the table. "I'm so sorry," he said. "I had no idea that she was coming…"

"It's okay," she said, touching his cheek. "Don't worry about it."

"Sarah's a little… strange. She likes to put people on edge and cause trouble."

Lizzie nodded. "Just a bit, huh?"

"You have no idea. If you don't want—"

"No, it's fine. She's your sister. Besides, I did say I wanted to meet your family…"

"Before careful what you wish for…" he muttered under his breath.

* * *

While Lizzie set the table for three, Sarah put the kettle on the stove. From her bag she produced a large stash of tea tins. Each one was labeled with the Taste of Wonderland logo and David Hatter's handwritten names.

"Dad sends his love," Sarah said, stacking the tins on a counter. "Mum, too."

"How's the shop?"

"It's doing fine. Chase is out checking on one of the shops this weekend, so I'm all alone."

He nodded as he added his finishing touches to their meal. He knew better than to pry into his twin's private life. Talking about Chase and their rocky relationship was a surefire way to start a fight. "And Rex?"

"He misses you. Sid does too. Nancy doesn't seem to notice you're gone," Sarah admitted. "Mum wants to know when you're collecting your critters. Apparently they're messing up the flat again."

"They might be relocating me in a few months. If that happens, I don't want to have to make 'em move and readjust twice. Lemme get settled down and I'll send for 'em. Unless you want to—"

His sister laughed. "Oh, no, Con. No way am I taking care of all of your pets. I did it before and I won't do it again. Besides, we just had the flat redone…"

"Really? Are you two…?"

"Don't start with me. After all, someone seems to be getting a little cozy in your flat, if ya know what I mean," Sarah taunted in a sing-songy voice.

"Knock it off."

"Connor and Lizzie, sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes dinos, then comes—"

"Enough!" he hissed, clamming his hand tightly down over her mouth. "She can hear you, ya know!"

His older sister pulled free and elbowed him in the stomach. He bent forward, curling inward.

"You're hopeless, little brother."

As Connor struggled against the sharp pain in his ribs, his sister carefully selected an assortment of teas. She measured the leaves out and into several tea infusers, one for each mug, and waited for the kettle to whistle before pouring the boiling water over the dry leaves.

Soon, the calming scent of one of his father's specially blended teas filled the kitchen.

* * *

Despite Sarah's sudden appearance, dinner was a subdued affair.

When his sister wasn't looking, Connor slipped two tiny crushed Benadryl pills into her tea. The allergy medication sedated her, putting her on the edge of sleep.

Lizzie laughed at some of his twin's ridiculous stories. Liz wasn't as skeptical as other women he met. Connor knew it the ARC Effect – being around the impossible all day, every day, tended to change one's perception. It made the individual more likely to believe in strange occurrences.

However, he still didn't tell his girlfriend about Wonderland. He didn't want to tell her. It was one thing to know that he had prehistoric pets but an entirely different situation to learn that not only could he travel through time, he's seen a parallel world, killed people, and was the son of an infamous pair from literature and he wasn't completely human. His left hand was supernaturally strong, Madness flowed through his veins, and he was still heir to the throne of Wonderland.

He lived between two worlds. He would never be truly normal, no matter how much time he spent in England. Wonderland was in his blood and Sarah's as well. No one knew exactly what the future would hold for them.

Which meant he might not even get a shot at a future with Lizzie.

Connor drained his tea mug, watching two of the most important women in his life trade stories and jokes inside his flat.

_If only things could stay like this, forever…_

However, he'd already felt the winds of change. A storm was coming. Danger had found the Hatter family once again.

**Author's Notes:**

Please don't shoot me! It's been an awful month with sickness, school, and other no-so fun things. Never a dull day for me. Anyways, I hope you like the little curveball of Sarah's arrival. And yes, I'm about to shake things up.

Hang on folks, it's about to get bumpy! Thanks so much for the support. Look for a new chapter in October.


	6. Chapter Five: Relocation

**Alice and What Came After: A Thousand Shards of Glass**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to either SyFy's production of _Alice_ or the amazing ITV/Impossible Pictures series _Primeval_.

**Chapter Five: Relocation**

While Sarah slept off a hangover, Connor and Lizzie reported in at the ARC. They weren't at their stations long before a voice came over the P.A. system.

"Hatter and West… I need to see you both in my office. Now."

Connor gulped. Being summoned to Lester's office was never a good sign.

He grabbed his bag, half-wondering if Lester was about to kick him out of the ARC, as he headed up the ramp to the administrative offices. He could hear softer footsteps behind him.

"Hey! Do you have any idea what this is about?" Lizzie asked, catching up with him.

They fell in step together. "Not a clue."

"Is dating co-workers a no-no here?" she suggested.

"Doubtful since Temple's married."

"Oh. I'd forgotten…"

"Don't worry about it. Lester likes you. If anything, I'll be the one getting canned," Connor muttered.

"No you won't!"

"I'm more likely to break things than I am to fix them. I cause trouble. I'm not my dad. I don't have his skills or his suave demeanor. I'm a klutz. Even Sarah's better than me, if you ignore her sociopathic tendencies…"

She took his arm. "That's not true. You're a great and loving man, Connor Hatter."

"Yeah right," he snorted.

"I'm serious. You have no idea how special you are, do you?"

He opened his mouth to speak only to have Lizzie silenced him. Her lips met his, silencing the last of his protests. Tongues touched and tasted, her hand slipping into his messy hair, his hat knocked askew. Connor took a step closer, backing her into a wall.

A man cleared his throat, causing Connor to very nearly have a heart attack in the walkway, especially when he realized the man in question was none other than his boss.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Lester drawled.

Lizzie straightened her shirt. "No, sir. We were just…"

"Save your breath, West. Take a seat."

The two flushed employees slunk into the office. Lester closed the door as they scrambled into separate chairs. Lester fixed his suit and tie as he slipped behind the massive wooden desk.

"Now, I'm sure you are both wondering why I singled you out today. There's a rare opportunity that I think you two would be perfect for…"

Connor frowned. "So I'm not fired?"

"I didn't say that, did I, Hatter?"

He shrank back into his chair.

Lester took a breath. "As you both know, there has been talk for sometime regarding the expansion of the ARC overseas. Anomalies do exist in other countries. Research has proven this over and over. I have made arrangements with other governments to allow a few specialists to form their own ARCs.

"I would like the two of you to head up one of the outposts."

Lizzie broke out into a happy smile. "Really? You mean be in charge? Of the entire operation?"

"I didn't say that, but yes, you will have a great deal of input in the new branches."

"When do we leave?"

"I haven't even told you where I was sending you yet," Lester said, amused at her eagerness. Connor was still stunned, sitting in shocked silence.

"You have a week, if you accept the transfer. We will provide money for your travel expenses and new lodgings, of course," Lester said. "The post I'm considering for you, Miss West, is in the United States."

"Did you hear that, Con? We're going home!"

* * *

Home was a foreign concept to Connor. He'd spent too much of his life traveling between worlds and now time. He didn't know what it was like to stay in one place. Unlike his sister and parents, he didn't know where he belonged.

Despite his intense connection to Wonderland, he couldn't picture living there full-time. He didn't fit in there.

And New York wasn't quite it either. The city was too busy and noisy. He much preferred the country. But leaving New York meant leaving the tea shop and his mum and da.

London was entertaining and Connor loved his job. He had a good group of friends and a surrogate family at the ARC. He also had Lizzie. He wasn't sure he wanted to leave. What if he didn't fit in there either? Or worse, what if Lizzie left him?

_Take a chill pill, little bro…_

_Get outta my head, Sarah…_

_Nope. Don't fuck this up, Con. You don't need Lizzie to have a life. Sure, she's great and everything, but you need to lighten up. Think of this as an adventure…_

_But it's not. I'm not you._

_Never said you were. But you need to take a chance. Explore the world. Find where you fit. Stop grumping about it and do something with your life!_

_Or what?_ He demanded.

_Or I'll drop-kick your sorry ass into the forest of Wabe. Got it?_

_You wouldn't…_

_Yes, I would._

_I hate you._

_Suck it up, Con._

* * *

"Home?" he asked, confused.

"Not to New York, of course. Given the nature of our work, it's not advisiable to relocate to a large city. However, there are a few locations scattered around that have shown signs of abnormalities. I thought we'd start with the western part of the States," Lester explained.

"For how long?"

"There might be a bit of state-to-state movement for those first few months, but the relocation will be permanent, at least for the moment."

"Who else is coming with us?" Lizzie asked, her eagerness for adventure evident.

"Captain Becker will accompany you and train the new recruits. He will also help with the selection of the rest of the team."

"What do you think, Con?" she asked, looking over at him. "Hmm?"

He looked at his girlfriend, the knot in the pit of his stomach tightening. He had a bad feeling about the move, but he couldn't very well turn it down. It was a promotion and a chance at life with the woman he loved. He'd be stupid to turn that down, right?

"Okay," he agreed.

Lizzie squealed with joy, hugging Lester, who looked horrified, before attacking Connor. He barely noticed her lips on his.

_This isn't going to end well…_

**Author's Notes:**

Now we're getting closer to the events of the prologue. Connor is intuitive, but he's afraid to voice his gut feeling. He doesn't want to push her away over a feeling.

Thanks for all the reviews! I'm doing mid-terms and projects, so there might not be another chapter until November. Sorry for the long waits – I'll probably shoot for shorter chapters in order to update more often. :)


	7. Chapter Six: Westward Bound

**Alice & What Came After: A Thousand Shards of Glass**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. _Primeval_ belongs to ITV/Impossible Pictures. Syfy's production of _Alice_ is the brainchild of Nick Willing.

**Chapter Six: Westward Bound**

Two weeks later, with most of their belongings boxed—well, most of Connor's anyway—Lizzie and Connor hopped a plane to the United States. Lester had arranged for them to sign lease agreements for living quarters for under a certain fee per month. The ARC would cover their first few months' rent and moving expenses.

They changed planes in Newark, New Jersey, and continued westward toward the central United States. Lester said the places they were scouting for a new base were in Arizona, Texas, and Oklahoma. Lizzie, lizard queen that she was, voted for Arizona or Texas where the dry desert air lured the creatures.

Connor didn't care. It was strange to be close to the tea shop during their lay-over and not pop in for a visit. But given that his family wasn't one to do visits well—or quick, a side-effect of his father's Wonderland past—he decided against it.

And Sarah wouldn't let him forget it.

_Connnnnoooorrrrr…_

_Jabbberrrrwooockkk…_ he whined back.

_Come home. Chase wants to see you…_

_Aren't you supposed to be on the other side of the Glass?_

_Vacation. We're on holiday. Pretty please…_

_No._

_Fun sucker,_ Sarah hissed.

"You okay, Con? You blanked out for a second there…"

He shook his head. "What? Sorry, lost track of time…"

"You sure you're alright?"

"Fine. Just drifted off." He fixed his hat. "So, when's the next flight?"

"It's been delayed. Apparently there's an impending storm at our destination. A possible tornado or other event."

"In Arizona?" Already he didn't like the idea of the move.

"No, silly, in Oklahoma. It's in what we Yanks call 'Tornado Alley'. Don't you read, Connor? I thought you grew up around here…" Lizzie teased him with a wide smile.

"I did. It was a mixture of schools. Dad traveled… a lot."

She nodded. "My father was in the military, too. Still is."

"Oh, no, it wasn't like that… it's complicated, you see…"

"Like your sister popping in?"

Connor groaned. "Yes, like Sarah. I swear, she's bloody bonkers…"

_Heard that!_

_Oh, shut it!_

"I thought she was rather sweet."

"Sweet? Sarah, sweet? We call 'er Jabberwock for a reason, Liz…"

"What reason?" his girlfriend asked, arms folded. "Connor, you can tell me. It's not like anything's going to shock me. I've seen dinosaurs, remember?"

He smiled weakly. "This is different than the ARC. Very different."

"Just tell me."

"Well, you know my last name's Hatter…"

"Is it? I thought it was just a nickname…"

"No, it's really Hatter. It's pretty much what my dad goes by. Even mum never uses his first name. Around here, only Lester calls me Hatter. It's easier than yelling for Connor and then yelling that it's other one and what not…"

She nodded. "Okay. It's an unusual name, but not totally strange."

"My mum's name is Alice."

That threw Lizzie for a moment. "Alice? Alice… Hatter? You've got to be kidding me…"

"No, I'm serious."

"For Halloween, does she put on a little blue dress and white stockings?"

Connor closed his eyes, remembering all the Halloween celebrations at the tea shop where his mum put on a blonde wig and his father a fairly ridiculous hat and false nose. "Yes, unfortunately."

"That must have been fun as kids, your mom dressing as Alice in Wonderland…"

"Not as much as you'd think…"

"Why not?"

"She still does it. Every year. And dad. Not as THE Alice, but as himself… I mean as the Mad Hatter."

Lizzie narrowed her eyes and took a seat. "What are you trying to say, Conn?"

"It's real. The book, I mean. No, the place." He played with his hat, clearly on edge. "Wonderland's real. My mum's related to Alice Liddell, my dad's the bloody Mad Hatter, my sister's dating Jack Heart's son… it's all real…"

She started laughing. "That's funny, Conn, really funny."

"It's true, Liz. Every last bit of it."

"I think you've been hanging out with Temple too long…"

"You don't believe me, do you?"

Instead of relief, Connor felt crushing disappointment. How could Liz laugh at him after what she'd seen at the ARC. Extinct creatures were coming through rips in time and she thought he was joking about a fantasy land being real.

"Of course not! Connor, that's just funny coincidence, it's not real. It can't be. It's a fanciful story your parents told you."

He took a deep breath, knowing he would regret this later. "Lizzie, do you trust me?"

"Yes… why?"

He took her hands. "Our plane's already delayed and if you're right, it'll probably be canceled. That should give us plenty of time to go and come back."

"Go where?"

"Wonderland."

**Author's Notes:**

Now Liz knows! What do you think? Sadly, I've been traveling myself, so I haven't yet seen any of _Primeval_'s new series. Hopefully, I'll get back home to my DVR and BBC America soon enough.

You guys rock! Sorry it took so long – hospital trips, finals, and projects. Just the usual.


End file.
